Burial

Shadow One nodded.

"Because Your Highness suddenly disappeared, we could not find you and did not know what had happened, yet we worried you would suddenly return and find no one there, so all of us would keep watch around this vicinity every day and not let anyone approach, taking turns at regular intervals, and today happened to be my turn."

Xue Fuyao nodded upon hearing this and asked, "Tell me first what has happened over these past two years."

Hearing this, Shadow One recounted everything that had happened over the past two years from beginning to end, especially concerning the Zhang Family.

"You mean the Zhang Family was overthrown as well?" Xue Fuyao said with some surprise.

You must know that in her past life, after successfully usurping the throne, the Zhang Family not only pocketed this realm under their own banner, but also used the influence of the Zhang Family of the Cultivation Realm to send their children to the Cultivation Realm.

Actually, in her past life she had found it strange, for logically speaking, the Zhang Family had stayed in the Mortal Realm for many years; even if they were once a branch of the Zhang Family of the Cultivation Realm, so many years had passed and they were already distant beyond measure in terms of relations.

It could be said that apart from the surname, there was no relation whatsoever, yet in the few contacts she had with Zhang Qin’er in the Cultivation Realm, the other person's talent was not good, but she seemed to be very highly regarded within the Zhang Family.

However, no matter what, this time the Zhang Family did not end up like in her past life, which was definitely a good thing for her.

"Since the Zhang Family has already been overthrown, who holds power now?" Xue Fuyao asked.

"It is General Qin. After driving the Zhang Family from power, General Qin even sent people to search for you, but at that time you suddenly disappeared without a trace, so we did not reveal ourselves."

"Not revealing yourselves was the right thing to do. No one would want to hand over the realm they fought so hard to conquer on a silver platter."

Xue Fuyao did not know who that General Qin was, but she could roughly guess the other person's intentions.

As the princess of the previous dynasty-no, now it was the dynasty before the previous one-once they found her, they would either secretly assassinate her outright or make her marry his son, rendering their family's bloodline more orthodox.

Perhaps there was another reason.

Xue Fuyao reached out her hand, and an exquisitely carved Imperial Jade Seal appeared in her palm.

"The Imperial Jade Seal! Your Highness, how did this thing end up with you?" Shadow One said in astonishment.

"Naturally, I took it along smoothly when I left the imperial palace," Xue Fuyao said casually.

What Shadow One was thinking about was a different matter entirely. "Your Highness, now that the Imperial Jade Seal is in your hands, as long as you return, you are the orthodox heir to the imperial throne."

Hearing this, Xue Fuyao glanced at Shadow One and could not help laughing out loud. After laughing her fill, she said to the bewildered Shadow One, "No. Leaving aside whether it could succeed even if we tried, succeed and I am only one person-I cannot govern this country."

She still possessed that bit of self-awareness.

Xue Fuyao did not continue this topic further, instead saying, "Go have people prepare twenty-five fine coffins."

Hearing Xue Fuyao say this, Shadow One guessed what she wanted to do.

After Shadow One left, Xue Fuyao did not follow along, but instead found a geomantically auspicious spot on this Lingjiu Mountain, and then began setting up a formation based on some superficial array techniques she had studied in her past life.

Two days later, the embryonic form of a Concealment Formation gradually emerged.

At this time, Shadow One returned with the remaining Shadow Guards and twenty-five fine coffins.

Xue Fuyao directed them to dig the pits, and then took out gorgeous garments for Imperial Father and her brothers and sisters to change into.

Fortunately, the space inside the Storage Bag was static, so even though two years had passed, everyone's bodies were still completely well-preserved, except for Imperial Father's head, though there was no helping that.

After finishing all this, Xue Fuyao took out those items she had brought from the imperial palace out of the Storage Bag to serve as funerary objects.

All sorts of jars and pots were crammed by Xue Fuyao into the coffins all at once.

Once this was done, Xue Fuyao buried the coffins, erected the gravestones, and after kneeling before the gravestones, kowtowed solidly three loud times.

"Imperial Father, Daughter is about to leave shortly, and it is uncertain when next I shall return. If you have perception in the netherworld, bless Daughter."

Having finished kowtowing, Xue Fuyao stood up and left that area, then activated the formation. The next second, the twenty-packages of brand-new grave mounds vanished from before everyone's eyes.

Next was the real business.

Xue Fuyao turned to look at Shadow One and the others, and said, "I am preparing to head to the Cultivation Realm. Are you willing to leave with me? It does not matter if you are unwilling; I will leave you enough wealth to ensure that both you and your descendants live free from financial worries."

After hearing Xue Fuyao's words, Shadow One and the others were startled at first, then fell into unison as they dropped to their knees and said in a unified voice, "This subordinate and the others are willing to follow Your Highness unto death."

Looking at Shadow One and the others kneeling before her, Xue Fuyao was not too surprised; she had long anticipated this outcome, but she still chose to ask once more.

"Very well, since you have made your choice, I certainly will not treat you unfairly. Without further ado, let us set out."

At this, the group fell silent for a moment before Shadow One took the lead to ask, "Your Highness, how shall we go to the Cultivation Realm?"

Many people in the Mortal Realm knew of the existence of the Cultivation Realm, and many people had searched for it, but in the end they all returned empty-handed.

In her previous life, Xue Fuyao had jumped off a cliff when being hunted down before entering the Cultivation Realm, but this method was far too dangerous, and she only survived because she had the protection of a Lotus Petal.

This time, she was not sure whether the Lotus Petal could still protect her, and furthermore, this time Shadow One and the others were with her.

Fortunately, Xue Fuyao knew another route, though the process was also extremely dangerous. Not only did it require crossing a forest teeming with ferocious beasts, but it also required traversing a stretch of poisonous miasma.

With the strength of Shadow One and the others, coupled with the cultivation method she had given them two years ago, dealing with wild beasts would certainly not be a problem.

As for the poisonous miasma, Xue Fuyao could concoct medicinal liquid that temporarily isolated them from it, and if all else failed, she still had the medicinal pills brought out from the cave; there would definitely be no danger to their lives.

Xue Fuyao briefly explained her plan, and Shadow One and the others had no objections, immediately starting to make preparations.

Who could have imagined that the entrance to the Cultivation Realm, which everyone searched for everywhere in vain, was actually hidden within an inconspicuous little country? Probably even the people within the small country were clueless about this matter.

The place Xue Fuyao and the others were going this time was a place somewhat like the Qiu Kingdom. Call it a country, but its territorial area was pitifully small, and it was perpetually sweltering with many kinds of venomous insects and depleted resources-a place the surrounding countries wouldn't even deign to glance at because it fundamentally had no value to fight over.